Mass expulsions initiated by Trump encountering unexpected repercussions
In the midst of President Donald Trump's focus on immigration as a key issue for a potential second term in 2024, recent polls indicate a wide disapproval of his handling of the matter.
According to Gallup's latest poll, Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of immigration by a significant margin of 62% to 35%. This disapproval is evident across party lines, with only 2% of Democrats approving, compared to 85% of Republicans. Independents lean more toward disapproval (62%) than approval (28%).
Despite Trump's campaign promises of stringent anti-immigration measures, including mass deportations and increased border security, recent polls indicate growing public support for immigration as beneficial. A Gallup survey shows record-high pro-immigration sentiment, especially among Republicans, with 64% seeing immigration as beneficial, up from 39% last year. Democrats maintain very high support (91%), while independents have also increased support from 66% to 80%.
The shift away from fears and frustrations about immigration that Trump leveraged politically in 2024 is reflected in the abating public concern over immigration, which has led to a decrease in support for harsh enforcement policies.
When it comes to specific policies, a Quinnipiac University poll found that 64% of voters favour giving most undocumented immigrants a pathway to legal status, reflecting growing public preference for legalization over deportation. Among Republicans, however, a majority (61%) still prefer deportation, while 31% support a pathway to legal status.
Support for expanding border infrastructure like the wall is also mixed but trending upward, with a 56% majority favouring expansion, driven largely by high Republican support (88%), though Democratic support remains low at 27%.
Public opinion on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is polarized: while 56% of voters overall disapprove of ICE's job performance, 77% of Republicans approve, in stark contrast to 89% of Democrats who disapprove.
In summary, while Trump's immigration policies maintain strong support among Republicans, the broader American public shows increasing support for immigration and more moderate approaches like legal pathways for undocumented immigrants. Negative evaluations of Trump's immigration handling prevail overall, especially outside his party, indicating a divided but evolving public stance on immigration in 2025.
In the realm of policy-and-legislation, a Quinnipiac University poll reveales that 64% of voters favor giving most undocumented immigrants a pathway to legal status, suggesting a growing public preference for leniency over deportation. Crime-and-justice perspectives are also nuanced, as the performance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) draws polarized opinions, with 56% of voters overall disapproving, contrasting sharply with 77% of Republicans who approve.
